Perhaps the most commonly used product for attempted prevention of water damage during flooding conditions is a sandbag. Typically, a conventional sandbag is tubular in shape, is closed at one end, is about two to three feet in length, and is fabricated of a synthetic burlap material. Empty sandbags generally are supplied to a site where a pile of sand or similar filler material is located, and workers use shovels to individually fill each bag. Thereafter, the open end of each filled bag is hand tied, and the bags are transported to a location of need for subsequent individual placement by hand.
As is evident, the above-described sequence of events required for filled sandbag preparation and placement is not only physically exhausting, it is also time-consuming where time can well be a major consideration in avoiding a disaster. It is therefore apparent that a need is present for a faster, more efficient and more effective way of preparing and placing sandbag protection against water invasion. In view of this need, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a sandbag filler assembly and system wherein a length of sandbag can be filled on-site from a movable filler chute having surrounding its exterior an axially compressed sandbag which is released longitudinally in accord with filler material introduction to thereby form a continuous length of filled sandbag product.
Another object of the present invention is to provide methodology for generally continuously filling a length of sandbag by coordinating velocity of a movable filler chute with sandbag segment release from the chute as filler material in introduced into the sandbag.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sandbag filler system wherein the filler chute and filler material source is mounted on a driveable vehicle.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a sandbag filler assembly for attachment to an axially movable filler-material source container. The assembly comprises a filler chute for delivery of filler material into the sandbag. The chute has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first end, with the first open end having an attachment connection connectable to be in flow communication with a delivery conduit of the filler-material source container. An axially compressible sandbag, open at one end and closed at an opposite end, is placeable in a compressed configuration around the filler chute such that the filler chute is within the sandbag with the closed end of the sandbag generally adjacent the second open end of the filler chute. An adjustable sandbag retainer is provided for selective retention and release of the sandbag from around the filler chute as the sandbag has introduced therein filler material to thereby cause sequential movement of sandbag segments from the filler chute.
Preferably, the filler chute additionally has a first segment in association with the first open end directed downwardly at a first downward angle and a second segment leading from the first segment at a second downward angle, wherein the first downward angle is greater than the second downward angle. This configuration provides aeration of filler material as it passes into the sandbag and additionally functions to reduce possible clogging of filler material as it proceeds through the chute.
A sandbag filler system includes the above described filler assembly in association with an axially movable filler-material source container having a delivery conduit through which filler material can flow. The container can be mounted on a vehicle which preferably can be a conventional cement delivery truck whose chute functions as the delivery conduit and whose revolving storage vessel is the container that carries the filler material.
Methodology for filling a sandbag incorporates placement of a compressed sandbag around the chute structure in communication with the second open end of the filler chute to thereby cause the filler material to flow through the delivery conduit while providing axial movement of the filler-material source container such that filler material enters the sandbag and simultaneously sequentially moves sandbag segments from the filler chute. Upon completion of filling, the open end of the resultant filled sandbag is tied or otherwise closed as known in the art. Coordination of filler-material flow rate with source-container velocity can result in substantially continuous filling activity. As is apparent, the present invention provides for rapid and semi-automatic production of filled sandbags of selected lengths which can be produced on-site to immediately follow surface topography and effectively render water invasion protection.